I live in Colorado Springs and have done almost all the routes on Pikes Peak. I have hiked, skied and mountain biked the Peak. Mountain Biking the road is not allowed but once a year there is a bicycle race called the Pikes Peak Challange when you are allowed to bike to summit! I have done two winter climbs from the Crags trailhead and one summer hike on the Barr Trail.

In order to avoid the Barr Trail crowds, and to make the climb shorter, we backpacked up a couple miles from the Crags Campground TH, camped in a meadow, then started early the next morning for the summit as a day hike. What a weird experience to climb a 14er with a restaurant on top and packed with people who had gotten there by train!